WARRINGTON’S Winwick Road fire station has reached a new milestone- celebrating its 50th anniversary.
To celebrate the occasion Mayor of Warrington Cllr Karen Mundry attended a ceremony at the station an unveiled a new commemorative plaque.
The station was originally opened in July 1968 by the then Mayor, Cllr David Pickering.
At that time, the then state- of- the-art building housed fire engines, a turntable ladder, a comprehensive training area and even a nuclear fallout shelter.
Since then the building has changed considerably, constantly evolving to meet the ever changing requirements of the service.
The station is currently home to two fire engines, the water rescue unit and 36 firefighters, who work over four watches, protecting the people of Warrington 24/7.
Station manager Neil Winstanley said: “Looking back it’s amazing to see how much the fire and rescue service has changed over the last 50 years and, while the appliances and firefighters have changed, it’s good to see that the building is still being put to good use.
“The building is not just a fire station; it’s a real community hub, housing the Phoenix Fire Amateur Boxing Club and Warrington Fire Cadets along with many other community groups. We also hold our annual open day here each year, which is always well attended.”
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Gus O’Rouke said: “Technology may have moved on since 1978 and we now have a far greater focus on preventing fires, but our purpose remains as clear today as it was for our forebears 50 years ago. We’re here to protect life and property.”
An open day will be held at the station on Sunday, September 2.
